Our story so far...

The year 1972 might not be the “best of times and the worst of times” as portrayed in a classic Charles Dickens’ novel , but it was nonetheless “a good and historic year” as described by a CICM (Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) missionary. “It was the centennial of the Gomburza martyrdom. It was the year of Proclamation 1081 that promised to make the Philippines a great nation again(!) It was the year when Laguna de Bay overflowed due to rains that lasted for more than forty days and forty nights. It was also the year that saw the birth of MST.” ( On July 17, 1972, scholastics from the CICM, MSC (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart) and CSsR (Congregation of the Holy Redeemer) went up a hill in Taytay, Rizal to begin their theological formation. Some former students of San Carlos Seminary joined them to continue their studies. They were accompanied by five CICM priests (Paul Van Parijs, Eugene Flameygh, Herman Hendrickx, Paul Staes and Lode Wostyn) and Dom Anscar J. Chupungco, OSB who formed the nucleus of the pioneering teaching staff of Maryhill School of Theology.

Upon the request of other religious congregations to bring MST at the heart to the metro-Manila, the CICM administration decided to transfer the school from Taytay Rizal to Quezon City in 1979. The Sisters Formation Institute inside the RVM’s compound at N. Domingo St. in Cubao, Quezon City became the temporary home of MST for three years. At the beginning of the academic year 1983-84, MST finally moved to its present location at New Manila, Quezon City.

Although not a formal consortium of religious communities, a remarkable degree of collaboration has developed among a good number of religious congregations by sending their professed members to MST for theological education and making their qualified members available as professors and administrators. Through the years, lay theologians as well as diocesan priests have shared their teaching expertise and further contributed their competence in developing the academic curriculum. Guest lecturers from abroad have added occasionally the necessary theological expertise to the corps of professors.

MST was born at a time when the Philippines began its long dark journey through Martial Law and dictatorship. Since then, students and professors have shown a keen interest in the country’s political, economic and social situation and their repercussions on the lives of the Filipino people. The theological courses at MST sharpen their social awareness and participation in the struggles of the people. However, MST has continuously put emphasis on the need to balance social commitment and academic discipline.

At MST doing theology has been promoted not as an abstract and speculative exercise but as a faith reflection on the daily realities that affect people’s lives.

MST has consistently focused on its missionary orientation and pastoral concerns as a response to the reforms propounded in Vatican II. From the very beginning, MST has encouraged both faculty and students to engage in the task of liturgical and theological inculturation. To date, MST has produced important works like Misa ng Bayang Pilipino-1975 (Mass of the Filipino People), Talasalitaang Liturhiko-Pastoral-1976 (Liturgico-Pastoral Dictionary), the new rite of marriage Ang Pagdiriwang ng Pag-iisang Dibdib (1983) and Mga Kataga sa Teolohiyang Dokrinal -2000 (Filipino Terms in Systematic Theology).

During more than forty years of its existence, MST has put up several academic programs and lecture series. A four-year General Theology Program (GTP) has been offered to candidates to the priesthood. The Adult Theological Education Program (ATEP) was launched in 1983 to offer professional and academic degrees to laypeople engaged in religious education and pastoral work. Two academic degrees, namely MA in Theological Studies and MA in Religious Studies; and a professional degree, namely MA in Pastoral Ministry have been offered by the school since then. In 1999, the Mission Studies Lecture Series was initially launched to promote missiological studies as a response to the challenge of mission ad gentes vis-à-vis the advent of globalization, multiculturalism, and information technological revolution. In honor of the late Fr. Herman Hendrickx, MST’s eminent biblical scholar, the first Herman Hendrickx Memorial Lectures was held in 2004.

In 1996, the first issue of MST Review came out of the press. Fr. Percy Bacani, then president of MST, wrote at the occasion of the launching of the review: “MST launches a theological review to intensify the articulation of the stories of our peoples and the narration of bible stories in a historico-critical way. New metaphors and symbols are needed in bringing to life the various faith experiences of peoples today. As a result of this ongoing narration and exchange of people’s life experiences, we begin to capture the dynamic character of mission.” Twenty years later, MST Review has continued to be the journal of articulation of the people’s faith experiences in interaction with the Church’s age-old tradition through the writings of MST professors, students and other contributors.

As we move toward the celebration of the 500 years of evangelization in the Philippines (1521-2021), MST continues its journey and pursues its dreams, nourished and nurtured by its founding fathers (and mothers), to do theology in a relevant way in a globalized, multi-cultural, multi-religious and fast-changing world. In MST, we do theology together Cor Unum et Anima Una…Sampuso't Sandiwa.